ZOË
| birth_place = Vienna, Austria | occupation = | years_active = 2002–present | background = solo_singer | genre = | instrument = Vocals | associated_acts = | label = | website = }} Zoë Straub (born 1 December 1996), known professionally as Zoë ( stylized as ZOË, is an Austrian singer, songwriter and actress. She represented Austria with the song "Loin d'ici" in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 and placed thirteenth in the grand final. Life and career ]] 1996–2014: Early life Zoë Straub was born in the Austrian capital, Vienna, to musician parents, Christof Straub and Roumina Straub (born Wilfling), on 1 December 1996. At the age of six, she featured in a song by her parents' musical project, Papermoon, called "Doop Doop (Baby Remix)". In 2007, Straub participated in the Austrian reality singing competition Kiddy Contest, where she covered "Engel ohne Flügel", originally performed by Mark Medlock, a German singer, while she was attending Lycée Français de Vienne (French High School of Vienna), where she studied for nine years. 2015–16: Career beginnings, Debut and Eurovision Song Contest .]] Straub appeared on ORF television series Vorstadtweiber in 2015. She also competed in the Austrian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2015, where she eventually placed third with the song "Quel filou", written by Straub herself and her father, Christof Straub. She performed live at Rathausplatz while Vienna was serving as the host city of Eurovision Song Contest 2015. In October 2015, she released her début album Debut. On 12 January 2016, she was announced as one of the participants of the Austrian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2016, and on 12 February 2016 she emerged as the winner of the national final and therefore represented Austria in the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 with the song "Loin d'ici" in Stockholm, Sweden; qualified for the grand final where she placed 13th in total and 8th in televoting. On 29 April 2016, she released a reissued version of Debut. International Music Festival career 2015–16: Austria's Got Talent success On 24 April 2015, ZOË was included in the list of competitors for the first edition of Austria's Got Talent, in which she responded, "Wow. I can't believe I made the list, you know, I sent the song not to win it but just explore that type of genre of music. Thank you for your support." On 6 May 2015, she performed sixth in the first semi-final and was then announced as one of the four qualifiers. She once again performed sixth in the final, and ultimately placed third in the final scoring 26 points. Her success in the Austria's Got Talent I resulted her position as a spokesperson for Austria in International Music Festival 31 and 34. 2016–present: AGT and International Music Festival Her successful position as spokesperson led ORF to contact her regarding becoming the host of the jubilee Austria's Got Talent V edition, in which she agreed and hosted alongside ex-competitor Vincent Bueno. She also performed "Adieu" as an interval act in the fifth edition which was first broadcast in the sixth edition due to technical issues. Her hosting and guest role was only the start of her journey, as she announced on 19 November 2016 as the seventh act of Austria's Got Talent VI. She performed eighth on the final on 18 December 2016 where she was announced as one of the four super-final qualifiers. She then performed fourth in the super-final, where she won with 32.3% of the total votes. After winning the competition, she accepted her offer to represent Austria in the International Music Festival 37, with her song, "La nuit des merveilles"; the first non-English entry since the 21st edition. In the International Music Festival 37, ZOË was drawn to perform fourteenth in the European continental final; the edition of IMF had brought back international countries. She was later not announced as one of the twenty-four qualifiers, meaning that she had not made it to the semi-finals. This resulted in controversial criticsm from Austrian press and fans, who complained that countries had always been rotating from quarter-finals and semi-finals not allowing quarter-final non-qualifiers stay in it though did due to the international country change. ORF later stated that they would boycott the contest if neither the continental final system or international country rule would change. With some other countries joining this boycott, the IBU launched a poll to see what option delegations prefered which resulted in the desiccation of the international country rule. ORF confirmed Austria's participation for the International Music Festival 38 shortly after the removal of international countries. Weeks later, the broadcaster shocked the press by announcing that ZOË would become the first consecutive Austrian artist in the contest. In a statement, they stated, "ZOË won Austria's Got Talent, fair and square. But that was not the case in IMF - she was cheated off by the horrendous system she was put in. It is only fair that we give her a chance to come back strong." In the contest, she will sing her debut English single "Dangerous Affair". Personal life She lives in Vienna with her boyfriend Kaspar Leuhusen whom she met in 2010. Discography Studio albums Singles Filmography Television Awards and nominations References Category:1996 births Category:Living people Category:Musicians from Vienna Category:Austrian pop musicians Category:French-language singers Category:Austrian female singers Category:21st-century Austrian actresses Category:Austrian Eurovision Song Contest entrants Category:Eurovision Song Contest entrants of 2016 Category:ORF (broadcaster) people Category:21st-century singers Category:Actresses from Vienna Category:Austrian singer-songwriters Category:Female singer-songwriters Category:Austrian television actresses